The Top Remington Hunting Rifles for Every Type of Game

Matching a hunting rifle to the game you're pursuing comes down to cartridge selection more than any other factor — smaller, flatter-shooting rounds for varmints and predators, mid-size cartridges for deer and similar game, and larger magnum rounds for elk, moose, and dangerous game. The Remington 783 covers a wide span of this range across its short action, long action, and magnum long-action configurations, which is part of why it's remained a popular choice across so many types of hunting. Here's how the cartridge-to-game matchup works, and what it means for your magazine.

Varmint and Predator Hunting: Flat-Shooting, Smaller Calibers

Varmint and predator hunting favors flat-shooting cartridges that hold accuracy at range without excessive recoil, since follow-up shots and precision matter more than raw stopping power. On the 783 platform, calibers like .223 Remington and .22-250 Remington — both short-action chamberings — fall into this category, each using its own dedicated magazine built specifically for that caliber.

Deer and Medium Game: The Short-Action Workhorses

For deer and similarly-sized game, .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, and 6.5 Creedmoor are among the most widely used cartridges in North America, and all three share the same short-action magazine on the 783. This is a big part of why the short-action 783 is such a popular configuration — one rifle platform, in any of these three chamberings, covers the most common medium-game hunting needs, and a single 4-round or 8-round magazine works across all of them.

Larger Game: Long Action and Magnum Cartridges

For larger or tougher game, or for hunters who want more range and knockdown power, the 783's long-action chamberings — .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, and .35 Whelen — step up in cartridge size, using their own dedicated 4-round long-action magazine. For the largest game or the longest ranges, the magnum long-action chamberings — 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag — use a separate 3-round magnum magazine built for the longer cartridge length.

A Different Category: .450 Bushmaster

The 783 is also offered in .450 Bushmaster, a big-bore round more commonly associated with AR-platform rifles than bolt-actions, paired with its own dedicated 3-round magazine. This chambering is aimed at hunters who want a heavier, harder-hitting round for shorter-range big game hunting, particularly in states with straight-wall cartridge regulations for rifle hunting.

Choosing Your Configuration

If you're deciding which 783 configuration fits your hunting, start with the game you pursue most often rather than chasing the biggest cartridge available. A short-action 783 in .308 Win or 6.5 Creedmoor covers the overwhelming majority of North American deer and medium-game hunting with manageable recoil and a widely available magazine. Step up to long action or magnum only if you're specifically pursuing larger game or hunting at longer ranges where the extra cartridge capability matters.

One Rifle Name, Several Different Magazines

Whatever chambering you choose, remember that the 783 name alone doesn't tell you which magazine you need — that depends on action length and caliber. Confirm your exact caliber against the Remington 783 Magazine Guide before ordering a replacement or spare, since short-action, long-action, magnum, and .450 Bushmaster magazines are all physically different and not interchangeable.

Building a Multi-Caliber Setup on One Platform

One advantage of the 783's spread across action lengths is that a hunter who pursues several types of game doesn't need to learn an entirely new rifle platform for each one. The same general operation, trigger feel, and bolt manipulation carry across a short-action .308 varmint-to-deer setup and a long-action .30-06 or magnum 7mm Rem Mag rifle for bigger game -- only the cartridge, action length, and magazine change. For hunters building out a collection across multiple game types, that consistency is worth factoring in alongside the ballistics of each individual cartridge.

It also simplifies magazine management if you keep more than one 783 for different hunts. Rather than learning a completely different platform's fitment rules for each rifle, you're working within the same short-action, long-action, and magnum framework across your whole collection -- you just need to keep each magazine matched to its correct action length and caliber.

Recoil and Practice Considerations

Bigger cartridges aren't automatically the better choice, even for bigger game, if the added recoil makes it harder to shoot accurately and consistently. A hunter who can put a well-placed shot from a short-action .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor on target reliably is often better equipped than one struggling to manage a magnum rifle they haven't practiced enough with. Choose the chambering that matches the game you're after, but weigh it against how much you'll actually practice with the rifle before hunting season.

Don't Overlook Practice Ammunition Costs

Larger magnum cartridges cost meaningfully more per round than short-action calibers like .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor, which affects how much you'll realistically practice before a hunt. A cartridge you can afford to shoot often, and therefore practice with regularly, often serves a hunter better in the field than a more powerful magnum round shot only a handful of times before opening day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best all-around 783 chambering for deer hunting?

.308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, and 6.5 Creedmoor are all widely used, effective choices for deer and medium game, and all three share the same short-action magazine.

Do I need a magnum 783 for elk hunting?

Many hunters use standard long-action calibers like .30-06 for elk-sized game; magnum chamberings like 7mm Rem Mag offer more range and power for hunters who want it, but aren't strictly required.

Does the .450 Bushmaster 783 use the same magazine as other calibers?

No — it has its own dedicated 3-round magazine, separate from the short-action, long-action, and magnum magazines.

How do I know which magazine my 783 needs for its specific game-hunting caliber?

Check the caliber stamped on your barrel and match it against the Remington 783 Magazine Guide.

Can one 783 chambered in .308 handle both deer and smaller game?

Yes -- .308 Winchester is versatile enough for deer-sized game and, with appropriate ammunition, smaller game as well, though a dedicated varmint caliber like .223 Rem will typically cause less meat damage on small game.

Is it worth owning more than one 783 in different action lengths?

Many hunters who pursue a range of game do keep more than one configuration -- a short-action rifle for deer-sized game and a long-action or magnum for larger game -- but a single short-action 783 covers the majority of hunting needs for most owners.

What magazine capacity is available if I want more rounds for varmint hunting?

The short-action 783 XT extends the .308/.243/6.5 Creedmoor magazine to 8 rounds; the dedicated .223 Rem and .22-250 Rem magazines are offered in their factory capacities of 5 and 4 rounds respectively.

Get the Right Magazine for Your Chambering

Whichever game you hunt and whichever 783 chambering you've built your setup around, American Rifle Magazines builds a US-made, factory-pattern magazine for it. Confirm fitment with the Remington 783 Magazine Guide, then shop Remington 783 Magazines. Buying for a shop or FFL? See our wholesale rifle magazine purchasing terms. Match the cartridge to the game first, then the magazine to the cartridge -- in that order, you'll rarely end up with the wrong part.